MBA or Part-time MSc

000sparks000

Evening all, hope yee can help!

Right here it goes. I have been following a few threads on here now for a while trying to get an idea of opinion etc, to help me choose between an MBA and an MSc!

Here’s the background, age 33, been in the workplace now for 16 years, failed my Leaving (didn’t have the commitment), bummed off to London, ended up working for Ryanair and left there after 5 years, last 2 being at managerial level running their pilot training school (no, I cant fly planes, but put the lads through their paces), came back to Ireland, got a job as an estate agent, left that company after 5 years, last 2 being a branch manager, did a honours degree part-time for 4 years while working as an estate agent and finished that last year, got a 2:1 (had the commitment!!!), now I work for a strategic property/property asset management company for the past 2 years, not at managerial level, but was the right choice to make in a strategic way for my career!

Now, the company I am with support part-time education, so much so, they will pay for me to do an MSc or MBA, but which do I do??

I had a frank talk with the MD here and he feels that I should do a basic business managerial course to get the fundamentals right, but I don’t want to waste time!! My wife thinks I should do an MBA as it is highly recognised! Plus, if I decide to move on, I can do so sooner!

I am looking for something broad, as I may move away from property - what are my options here?

I had good exposure to piers over the past 2 years and I hear them say that they became CEO of this company, CEO of that company, moved here, moved there……… but if you hear the company names (what their core business is), you realise that they are in completely different fields of work!! I have been told that the managers/MD’s/CEO’s of the future are generalists, big problem solvers who can put their hand to anything. I have a varied background and I want to capitalise on that! But to be honest my business mind has only started to develop since I joined here (current job), as my two jobs previous to that (mentioned above) were very repetitious. My role now is at a consultancy level, but property is not floating my boat any more, I need a different playing field, but not to start at the bottom again, I shouldn’t have to!

So, do I do the MBA in DCU ? Do I do an MSc in Management, Strategic Management & Planning, Management Consultancy – UCD or MSc in Strategic Management in Angier DIT??

Any advice, help would be appreciated.

I find it very, very hard to see where I fit in job opportunities or where I want to be!!

Sorry if I have ranted, screaming baby in the background!!

Have a good weekend!

TJJP

The MBA in DCU is excellent and worth consideration. UCD may also be worth a look. In my opinion, the main differences between an MBA and MSc are as follows:

MBA – a very broad business based masters. You won't specialise in any given area but you'll be able to spot bull a mile off in any area of law, marketing, accountancy and so on.

MSc - can be a much specialised qualification, with specific expertise in given field.

Really, it's up to you. What interests you, what could you successfully apply yourself to for two years... I enjoyed my MBA, it's useful to have, but certainly doesn't have the cachet it used to hold. Depending on what you might seek to do in two or five years, a focused and specialised qualification might make more sense. If you’re heading the mainstream management direction (and your varied background might suggest this) then an MBA could be very useful too.

000sparks000

TJJP wrote: »

The MBA in DCU is excellent and worth consideration. UCD may also be worth a look. In my opinion, the main differences between an MBA and MSc are as follows:

MBA – a very broad business based masters. You won't specialise in any given area but you'll be able to spot bull a mile off in any area of law, marketing, accountancy and so on.

MSc - can be a much specialised qualification, with specific expertise in given field.

Really, it's up to you. What interests you, what could you successfully apply yourself to for two years... I enjoyed my MBA, it's useful to have, but certainly doesn't have the cachet it used to hold. Depending on what you might seek to do in two or five years, a focused and specialised qualification might make more sense. If you’re heading the mainstream management direction (and your varied background might suggest this) then an MBA could be very useful too.

TJJP

Many thanks for the info! I think I need a career overhaul! I think i work in the sector I work now as a matter of curcimstance. I just got stuck in a rut and followed the path that was there for me to naturally follow, but I dont want to throw all of that away, I dont want to have to start over again! So I am hoping that something broad, something in management will tie it altogether and provide me with a platform to make a move in two years time (when teh economy gets back up off its knees), capitilise on my varied background.

What interests me??!! I find that question such a hard one to answer! I have teh committment, studdied part-time for the past 5 years, so I can put my mind to it. I suppose I just dont want to be a very qualified student as opposed to a very qualified professional!

TJJP

Well you have it fairly well worked out then - looks like the MBA. It can be a hard slog, park life (not as in Blur) for two years though. I think that for employers it’s seeing the will to better yourself, to engage, rather than the qualification in the end. If you like what you’re doing (as in don’t hate it!) then you’re ok. At the moment a job is a job, no one is paying MBA’s 200k out of college anymore (if they ever did?). Staying steady for a few years and upping qualifications is no harm at all. Good luck with it.

Dinkie

I actually going to suggest a different option - a Masters in Management in Smurfit. It can be done via distance learning, but is only one weekend a month for 2 years.

I am just finishing this course via distance learning and have found it really good.

The reason I am suggesting it is that is that everyone there is a mature student (average age perhaps 29-31) and it gives a really good grounding in management/business essentials if you don't have this already. It also has quite a range of subjects available (including options) and some of it is actually the same as the smurfit MBA.

I have found that I have learnt as much from the people on the course as I have from the course - given the broad range of work experience the students have.

Just for the record, I'm not brainwashed after 2 years in Smurfit, and others on this forum will say that I don't always recommend it, but for you I think it is worth looking at.

Anyway - good luck what ever you do... you have already proved you have the committment to do what ever you want to.

000sparks000

Dinkie wrote: »

I actually going to suggest a different option - a Masters in Management in Smurfit. It can be done via distance learning, but is only one weekend a month for 2 years.

I am just finishing this course via distance learning and have found it really good.

The reason I am suggesting it is that is that everyone there is a mature student (average age perhaps 29-31) and it gives a really good grounding in management/business essentials if you don't have this already. It also has quite a range of subjects available (including options) and some of it is actually the same as the smurfit MBA.

I have found that I have learnt as much from the people on the course as I have from the course - given the broad range of work experience the students have.

Just for the record, I'm not brainwashed after 2 years in Smurfit, and others on this forum will say that I don't always recommend it, but for you I think it is worth looking at.

Anyway - good luck what ever you do... you have already proved you have the committment to do what ever you want to.

Dinkie, thanks for the heads up!:D

I was actually looking at that course and was defo going to apply, but then my wife was saying for me to do an MBA, but I just dont think I am ready yet! Sure enough, I can go in and learn everything in an MBA, tick all the boxes as needs be, but if I am not in a position to apply it in the work place etc, there is no point.

I was also looking at the Higher Diploma in Business & International Business in The Communication & Management Institute. Its a level 8 award (HETAC), but not an Masters. Plus its only one year. I was thinking of doing that, then doing the MBA (lay the foundations as so to speak).

The Masters in Management in UCD really appeals to me, but reading here it seems to get alot of bad press!

So, it sounds like your experience of the course is good then? Good for a non business background?

Dinkie

It does get a lot of bad press, but it appears to hold a lot of sway for recruiters who are tired of MBA's.

The course is also in the top 50 Masters in Management's world wide (source: financial times). Think it is 39.

As to how I found it.... ask me tomorrow, as my final assignments are in tonight

Seriously, parts I found really good, and other parts I found not so good - but I think you get this in any course. I definately learnt a hell of a lot - both personally and professionally.

I would recommend that you ask the co-ordinator for the course if you can talk to someone on the course and maybe get an idea of what its like. Else there are a good few on boards who are on the course.

As regards the bad press - people are always more likely to speak negatively about a course then positively.....